long story short, sold my jeep, cause i didn't think i needed it, due to hunting being so expensive for lease, and only getting 14 mpg. well now i'm giving public land a shot sinces it's only $48 for the state permit. i'm also considering doing some out of state hunts, and getting the mpg of the mini really helps cut travel cost down. now my questions.

anyone use there mini to go hunting? my man concern is ground clearence. but from what i understand with public land there is a parking lot and you hike in so if that is accurate it shouldn't be an issue, just need a place to put my harvest.

i'm thinking of adding a hitch and one of those hitch baskets, and thinking that should be enough. i also have a roof rack and basket from prevous vehicle that i could use as well.

my other option would be to add the hitch and get a small 3x5 trailer or one just big enough for an atv, then i would be able to use it for more than just my harvest, wouldn't be towing much, just oversized stuff i can't fit in the mini, and it would only be a couple times a year
any thoughts appreciated. thanks

 

I have a Coupe, so no, I don't think mine will work too well. Especially when a hard rifle case won't fit in the trunk, or negotiate the pass through.

My solution was to keep my truck, and use it solely for hunting/fishing/camping etc (it's been paid for, for a LONG time now, but is still very reliable; Nissan Frontier SC CC 4WD)

That being said, my Mini Coupe works well (perfectly) for trips to the Sporting Clays range at Camp Pendleton, as the road to the range is paved, and a shotgun generally breaks down to a fairly compact package, whether its an Over/Under or a Semi-Auto. (BTW, I love my Bennelli!)

Now when predator hunting...the truck gets the nod. Just too many fire breaks, unmaintained roads and buffalo to run across to chance a Mini getting stuck, or high centering on the trails (never mind the thought of having the vehicle charged/gored by a PO'ed solitary male buffalo roaming around the country side).

The hitch idea is probably your best option, with a jamboree rack, (or whatever they call them these days) and a plastic tarp to keep the blood from splattering against the paint (don't ask me how I know that deer blood turns paint a lighter color). Also, the plastic tarp would be advisable for those other people on the road that are a bit squeamish and don't particularly relish the site of a nicely clean killed critter heading home to the dinner table. Just seems the considerate thing to do these days...

Glad to see there are other hunters here who own Mini's. It would be interesting to see a vinyl wrapped ALL4 in camo as a limited edition model for the US...

 

And it depends on what your hunting. Packing out a big buck in your Mini would not be easy.

 

PatM hit a good point.

Probably have to quarter it in the field (at least) if it's a good sized deer.

 

If you tie a buck to the hood of you mini, please post a pic....
Or the roof...
Not sure you would want it in the car.....
Going to the game check station, you might get a few interesting looks before you bucher it....
And just remember, adding the weight to your car will reduce ground clearance....so you might make it in, but get hung up on the way out. Imo, just borrow a car, or buddyup.

 

I do not think that the 'hitch basket' suggested in your third paragraph would be a good idea. The mounting points of the hitch, behind the bumper skin where you can't see them, are not sufficiently robust to withstand the downward torque that a load of any reasonable size would exert on the 'hitch basket.'

 

Go with a hitch and a small trailer as a basket with the weight of a deer will not work (max tongue weight is 150 lbs):

http://minidomore.com/mini_cooper_to...iler_hitch.php

 

how not to transport a deer in a mini:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-with-you.html

 

 

Countryman S with a trailer hitch.

Look at motorcycle trailers if you're concerned about the weight. Have a friend with a Can Am who uses it for hunting -- has a light weight fiberglass trailer that holds all his gear. If he ever does get a deer, he says he can strap it to the top of the trailer.

 

Me thinks cntryislandboy is going to have a Jeep back in his life in the not too distant future.... like maybe by hunting season!

I have a Jeep and a MINI and together they make a good combination!

 

thanks for all the info guys, i kinda like the trailer idea the most just because i can use it for lots of other things, and should only weigh 250-350 at most, and unless i'm hunting out of state i'd only be going 30-40 miles round trip

i'll defiantly post pics, cause it would defiantly be funny that is for sure

 

Like this --

 

Where there's the will, there's a way.

 

I'm surprised by how there seems to be a standard way of carrying a cow on a motorcycle.

 

Check out these trailers -- most under 200 lbs so very easy to pull behind your MINI.

http://www.motorcycletrailer.com/nav/cargo1.html

 

Maybe you could switch to smaller, MINI-size game. Like squirrels...



http://blogs.dixcdn.com/shine_a_ligh...-cant-be-good/

 

Check out the Top Gear (American version) episode on small cars. Based on that I would not recommend a mini for hunting in the everglades.... Depends how deep off road you get I suppose...